Due in Dec 07 - Feel them kick!!

[buzzybee]

Hi, thought I'd start a new thread. Hope ou find this OK!

Just been shopping downtown and bought a fab paid of maternity pants for work.

Also bought "The Baby Name Wizard" as Borders were having 20% off everything. Feel free anyone to ask me a question about names now!! The book categorises them into the following "style families" (chances are if you like one name in the family, you'll like a number of others - e.g. I tend to go for "Antique Charm" names for girls which include Abigail, Adeline, AMelia, Anna. Annabel, Annalise, Ava, Bella, Clara, Daisy, Eleanor, Emma, Eva, Georgia, Grace, Hannah and Isabel):
African, Androgynous, Antique Charm, Bell tones, Biblical, Brisk and Breezy, Celtic, Charms and Graces, Country and Western, English, The -ens, Exotic Traditionals, Fanciful, French, German, Greek, Guys and Dolls, Italian, Jewish, Lacy and Lissome, Ladies and Gentlemen, Last Names First, Latino, Little Darlings, Long Gone, Mid-Century, Modern Meanings, Muslim, Mythological, Namesakes, New Classics, Nickname-Proof, Place-Names, Porch-Sitters, Saints, Scandanavian, '70s and '80s, Shakespearean, Slavic, Solid Citizens, Surfer Sixties, Timeless and Why Not?

Hi everyone - another one here who declined to move back to London thanks exactly to things like transport strikes and the total nightmare of getting to work. Bad enough when you are not pregnant/don't have children to get back for but a complete stress when you do. My HUGE sympathies to those of you working in London.

Buzzybee - I have to say me and DH started contemplating moving out to NZ the other day after watching a drama here about a guy who went out there - I lived in NZ for 9 months nearly 10 years ago and it is my favourite place in the world. Although I do like where I live too (South West UK). I recall you mentioned lack of shops in NZ the other day and yes I do remember that being a bit of an issue! But it really is such a devastatingly beautiful place.

By the way talking of Downs syndrome have you read the Memory Keepers Daughter? It is about a girl who is born with Downs and the dad gives her to the nurse to look after and tells his wife that the baby died. This part of the book is set in the 1960's and 1970's and people's reactions were just horrendous - at one point the little girl is taken into hospital as she is has an allergic reaction to a bee sting and the nurse at the hospital basically asks the adopted mum whether she wouldn't rather let the little girl die rather than call the doctor!! I guess at least things are better than in those days although I am sure you are right, people won't know how to react if your baby is born with Downs.

morning

had much better nights sleep last night and think walk at 2pm will help with feeling rubbish in the afternoons - ds is at Nursery next to my office for 2 days while childminder is on hols so might pop in and say hi, was worried how he'd cope but he's taken to it fine, very grateful for a such a relaxed toddler, fingers crossed this lo isn't a nightmare!

Loucee - also have nesting urge, house is cleaner than its ever been and everything about our house annoys me, I keep buying storage boxes and baskets in an atempt to get some order - I really want a new sofa ours was from in-laws and was about 10 years old and we've had it for another 4 so I fancy a change but since I want a home birth and have chosen the living room to have baby in dh says I can't have a new one till after the birth

suey - could you go in later today when rush has past? horrible situation to be in that your going to lose loads of money by not being there, hope it gets better for tomorrow

cazzybabs - I agree with buzzy about your colleague, I'm sure she'll love to talk about baby (don't we all) and will bring up downs if she wants to talk about it

beachbunni - I've seen bolster pillows in ikea....

Morning morning. Dragged myself into the office today to at least print a few things out and play on MN! Not looking forward to tomorrow as I'm down in London for a meeting (12 till 2pm) and fly down from Edinburgh to Heathrow - suddenly the bells started ringing that my usual Heathrow Express to Paddington then Bakerloo tube to Waterloo may not work very well! Fingers crossed by the time I land at 10:30am Picadilly will be working ok and I should have missed the rush hour. Last time though, as my Compnay have said insurance for business travel will only cover me up to 30 weeks (even though BMI said 36 is ok) so monthly meetings are no more Not been too bad so far and as I've been allowed to go business/premium I've clocked up the air miles loads - roll on next spring/summer - planning the trip already.

Am having second thoughts about birth plan at the moment - far too much time when awake at night to think of things Had always thought of hospital like with DD but expereince so far at Stirling just hasn't ticked any boxes. Am now wondering whether home would be a better bet - any of you guys know what you'll be doing yet? We're only 5 mins from hospital if anything did go wring so not worried on that score - just don't feel relaxed there at all IFYWIM.

Homebirth for me, Beastermummy!

Actually the only shop I really miss is M&S food . Its true there isn't so much choice on the clothes shopping front here but its really not that bad and it gives me an excuse to buy up large on the rare occasions I find myself in real shopping metropolises like Melbourne. On the plus side there are probably more specialised shops here - kiwis love to run their own business and tend to resist being taken over by chains.

Haven't read the Memory Keepers Daughter but will keep an eye out for it. Might make me cry though!

Am finally getting around to having a small retaining wall put into my garden so that I can grow veges - just in time for Spring/Summer I hope! After all its a bit hypocritical of me to rave on about moving back to NZ so I could have a garden when at the moment I have an ugly clay bank down the back!!

This thread about what people wear to weddings is hilarious if anyone wants a laugh and has a few moments to read it!

I'm beginning to want a home birth. I discussed it with the midwife a couple of weeks ago, but she said we'd have to wait until later in the pregnancy to decide if its possible, especially as its my first time. I think it would be easier for me, and I like the idea of getting a midwife or two to myself. I only live about 5 or 10 mins from the hospital by car anyway so hopefully it will be ok. Otherwise I'd like a water birth at the hospital although I know that what I'd like and what will happen will be two different things!

MrsWizz my community midwife team in Pimlico were actually the ones who encouraged me to have a homebirth last time! But its true that was when I was 38 weeks and had had a very easy problem free PG, the baby seemed to be in a good position etc etc so I guess that's probably what your MW is referring to.

Anyone else planning to breastfeed their pets? !!! news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/south_asia/4443825.stm

ooh er - breastfeeding pets - not my cup of tea!!

OMG breastfeeding pets?!

does anyone know where i can get some long bodied vest tops? I find a lot of my tops ride up and I am forever pulling them down - would love to feel comfy.

dorothy perkins - thought I saw some there.

minor rant alert:
have had two people today say 'gosh you're huge'- one person behind counter at post office, the other on till at marks and spencer (and she was pg herself so should have known better). FIL did same at weekend, and so did v. v. stupid former colleague last week.
Am thinking of producing t-shirts saying 'if you can't be nice, shut up' or somesuch. am getting seriously narked with these comments. SIL suggests humming loudly with hands over ears, but not v. practical. i wonder how rude i am allowed to be so such utterly fatuous cretins who think they have a right to comment on my physique when the don't even know my name.
suggestions welcome...

loucee- h and m were doing great vests and tops in some reasonable colours. not too pricey either.

Long bodied vest tops = American Apparel or Topshop or Velvet. I'm spoiled though because I work between Bond St, Oxford St and Regent St in London. Hmm, can be expensive working near here!

I dual breastfed last time - DD on one tit and my pet lizard on the other.
Is that wierd?

claraq - yes... very.... on plus side you could get on bbc website...

loucee - topshop do bump band which is great, funnily enough bought it for last time but never used it, this time its worn all the time - might be due to being pg at diff time of year (last time was winter so big jumpers covered it!)

dundee - if you work out what to say let me know! I'm having the same problem, dc no 2 and am much bigger in laws commented and someone mishead my due date the other day and thought I was due September and said that I looked about ready to pop last time found that when people put hand on belly I could freak them out by doing the same to them (especially blokes) and then saying 'I know weird isn't it when people do that'

Loucee, I agree with Insy - I'm using my bump band quite a lot. I've also got a flowery one from Jojomamanbebe which adds a pretty layer when my vest tops ride up.

Claraq - lol. I suppose it makes a change from having to feed crickets to your lizard.

Well - Itook your advice and asked my collegue how the 20 week scan was and it was good news. It looks like it is all fine and it is a he! So that is great news.

My back is sooo sore and I am tired. Still my classroom is ready for small people tomorrow, although I may not be!

Macdoodle totally empathise with the rude and unwanted remarks on size of bump. I was getting it a lot last wk at work from people who SHOULD know better! Only thing I can think of to say (but wouldn't be so rude) is "well at least I have an excuse for my big stomach"

Thanks for vest top help and bump bands recommendation - think I'll have a look in the shops tomorrow (window shopping you understand).

Glad your colleague is ok Cazzybabs and that her pregnancy is progressing well. Hope the kids are good tomorrow to ease you back in gently.

Argh I did a stupid this this afternoon, thought I'd put the laptop away so I wasn't tempted to sit ALL day surfing and accidentally dropped it when putting it on the floor... the screen has cracked and you can't see anything now given our financial situation at the moment I just cried. DH took it really well though and said we should go along to Tesco tonight to get a new one funny how geeky blokes don't mind spending money we don't have on gadgets but if it was the cooker I'd broken he'd have been furious (hates spending money on stuff like that!!) So I wont be on very much as have to boot up an old, old slow pc we have in the bedroom

i have had lots of people telling me i am huge... i keep a straight face and say 'i'm not pregnant!' see who's embarrassed then!

feeling really crampy in lower abdo today, sure its just stretching but its awful! like mild period pains... baby has stayed active though which is comforting. other than that i have a lot more energy today than i have had so far, which is great! house is spotless and i am still wide eyed now!

have also had lots of comments on bumps growth spurt over the last few days... looking very neat and tidy but massive! wondering whether i am crrying a cow rather than a baby!

oh and last night we finally decided on a name, we are going to call him Logan. it suits our othwer boys names and i think it will suit all ages! feels nice having a definate name and now i can refer to his name rather than 'him' or 'twiglet'.. though i have got used to twiglet!

anyone else have a definate name yet??

as for the homebirth/hospital birth option i would have loved a homebirth last time, but due to my previous emergency caesarean i wasnt allowed, but knowing i had one child at home to care for as well as a newborn i actually enjoyed relaxing those two nights in hospital and am happy to do the same again this time! i know how manic it gets once home, but saying that we do have a lovely post natal ward and system here so i guess that influences a lot!

gosh i really need to learn how to condense my posts!

hi all,
i have calmed down a wee bit now. Have a strategy for tomorrow now that i know that the picadilly line is suspended.

But, OMG, went to peter jones as my current bras were digging in and i have succumbed to a doreen! Seriously ugly (DH will never see it )but very comfy. Will go to R&P on thursday to see if i can find an alternative. Whammers even bigger and bump getting higher- i had a complete stranger come up to me at a wedding on saturday to complement me on the size of my breasts. . that'll serve me right for not wearing a tent!

Re size- i am afriad i have been a bit chicken and instead of saying that i am six months PG i now say i am 7. (well, i am in my 7th month!). I also had someone who thought i was due in september which did wonders for my ego. I also find myself examining the pictures in now and heat magazine of PG celebities and trying to evaluate how i compare. I guess i am feeling enough of a blimp without anyone else chipping in. Pictures of myself on holiday in a tankini- not great!
In short i guess we are all pretty much in mthe same boat, which makes us normal.

Suey2 - at breast comment - he obviously fancied you
Was wondering at what point people who are working plan to start their maternity leave?
I'm packing up on the 3rd December - 20 days before my due date. I've got 8 days holiday still to take so I thought I would put 2 days holiday on per week during November so effectively working part time - I figured by then I'd be pretty tired out!

hi bouncingturtle- I am starting to cut down the physical work next week to half time hours, with the other half admin. I then plan to work until the Oct 25th (34 weeks) which is the day we move to our new house.

Buzzybee- we are moving to pimlico! Battersea park just down the road and my brother in law lives in eccleston sq so has a key to the garden which we can use. (thus my past comment about lack of outside space etc.) SOOO looking forward to it- should be a lot less hectic than where we are now and I get to move from my DH's bach pad to our house. Can't wait!

Suey, I think you'll love Pimlico and even better if you have a key to E square! We first lived in a flat opposite Warwick Sq (but didn't have a key) then moved down to one on St Georges Sq (which is a public square so no need for key). The community midwives were just around the corner next to Pimlico tube station and the Health Visitors over the other side of V Bridge Rd.

I used to push my buggy for miles around the area - fav walk was up to Kings Rd and back but also through St James Park to Picadilly. One day even walked over to Fulham and back. Battersea not far away but it is a bit of a haul along the Embankment and over the bridge - have not so pleasant memories of walking back from there holding screaming baby and trying to push buggy at same time...

Funny to think you might be walking the same routes I used to! And I guess you'll be going to C&W hospital where I had all my scans!

Morning all
I used to live near Battersea Park when I was a child! Have fond memories of going for long strolls, riding my bike there and walking along the River.....